Well, I guess we won’t be getting our $5,000 each. Which is unfortunate, because I spent most of my $2,000 tariff rebate on a couple Omaha steaks and a tank of gas. It’s the price we pay for democracy. According to a White House source, the President spent Wednesday, the day after the Republican defeat, which looked a bit like Napoleon’s retreat from Russia, in a wise use of his time – reviewing plans for his new ballroom. That’s the spirit, Donald. “Let them eat cake.” And therein lies the problem.
So, much of what happened on Tuesday will be misread and misunderstood in Republican circles. One reelected Florida congressman suggest that congressional Republicans weren’t “conservative” enough. Oh, yes. That was the problem. There definitely wasn’t enough “slash and burn” in the last two years. Affordable Care subsidies, Medicaid, medical research, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Kennedy Center fiasco. Most important, of course, are the costs of gasoline, hamburger patties, housing, and child care. The returning stampede of fossil fuels. Import tariffs. They’ve been wonderfully effective in returning manufacturing to the US. Worries about student debt, losses of employment opportunities in the face of an AI takeover. And the data centers needed to power them. In fact, everything that maintains our quality of life, unless you’re a billionaire, is in question and doubt. All of the things about which Orange Man has largely ignored or told us not to worry. All of the things that voters told him in 2024 should be the focus of his attention. Forget the ballroom, the Rose Garden, the grand arch, and now the DC golf course.
Vice President Vance blamed it all on the war with Iran. It “was the war”, he explained. Not enough “America First” initiatives. Well, in fairness, Mr. Trump did rename the Gulf of Mexico, Lake Ontario, and most recently New Mexico for us. And he’s deported almost a million undocumented immigrants, making us far safer than we were. Except for the critical labor shortages in some key segments of the workforce, the occasional snatching of legal residents, and every so often, a fatal shooting on the streets by ICE agents. You will notice, though, that interest rates have plummeted as he said they would . . . . . .oh, wait. No. Inflation is totally under control, though . . . . oh, wait again. Another no. In fairness, he has had his successes: the US takeover of Greenland went smoothly, and it’s just a matter of time before we make Venezuela a US territory, earning him perhaps a second borrowed Peace Prize. I hope the new ballroom has enough display space for both of them.
Democracy depends to a large extent on balance. It’s essentially a pendulum, which we know in time will swing back again. Former Senator Claire McCaskill, speaking on Tuesday night as the election results unfolded, reminded Democrats that they won’t hold on to power unless they’re able to work effectively, and appeal to, moderate Republicans and independent voters. Increasing numbers of voters identify as independent, not affiliated with either party. Sticking rigidly to ideology and being unable to compromise doesn’t work well in either our government or our society. Compromises will have to be reached. We know that rightest, authoritarian government systems haven’t done well over time. On the other hand, extreme leftist governments, what we in the past have come to call “communism”, haven’t fared particularly well either. I think that’s because in either, people don’t feel they have a voice. No, our system – democracy – works best when both sides are free to express their thoughts, exchange ideas, and come to some sort of compromise.
It often comes up in political discourse, and debates, from both right and left that, if the other side prevails, societal collapse is inevitable. Well, guess what. Both sides have had their turn at the controls of this country, and we’re still here. We’ve managed to bounce back from leftist control (or “socialism”, as the right likes to call it) and control by the right (or “fascism”, if you tend more toward the progressive side). We’ve managed to survive the whole spectrum. For those that say we’ve never been more divided, I beg to differ. I recently read a new biography of patriot Samuel Adams, who was deeply distrustful of a strong federal government, despite his efforts to unite the colonies. He favored a loose union of sovereign states, which didn’t work very well under the Articles of Confederation, to be replaced by the Constitution. The beginnings of our country were messy and divided. The period leading up to, during, and after the Civil War was probably the most conflicted, the most vicious period in American history, and the Cold War of the last century, including Sen. Joseph McCarthy rounding up suspected “un-Americans” wasn’t a whole lot better. Yes, we have divisions, and yes, we disagree. We will always disagree. Who’s to blame? I’d say there’s enough blame to go around. I remember several decades ago when one party, after a particularly triumphant election, predicted the demise of the other. Again, guess what? They’re both still here, and currently are pretty evenly dividing the government. Which would suggest that voters don’t entirely trust either party with complete control. So, advancing the causes of cooperation and compromise, stated reelected Congressman Randy Fine of Florida, “So we’re going to be having to fight against stupid policies that they will be pushing. And it’s going to be an ugly two years, but we’re gonna have to explain why all of the things that they said they would do during the campaign are so bad.” Ah, that’s the spirit, Randy. Your way or the highway. Or, as my grandfather used to say, “My mind’s made up. Don’t confuse me with facts.” The American voter, sometimes a majority of them, may not always be the brightest bulbs in the chandelier – they elected Donald Trump over far superior candidates not once but twice – but over time, they’ll revisit their mistakes. Like the stock market, there will be a correction.
In a democracy, it’s imperative that issues of disagreement among us are discussed with information and reason. Not label anything with which we disagree as “stupid policies”. We need to move well beyond issues like a “stolen” elections, or COVID is a hoax, despite millions of deaths worldwide. How many consecutive nights do we need to hear the evening news leading off with “fierce storms and severe weather lashing . . . .” before we begin to think climate change may just be a “thing” after all? The least productive element of a reasonable discussion is fear, and distortions often lead to that fear. When people lash out in anger, or worse, form their political views based on it, fruitful debate devolves into shouting and finger pointing. It is therefore essential that respect for opposing views prevail.
What’s next, Democrats? You have solid majorities, and as we say in football, you’ve been given the ball. You can run with it, pass it, or punt. You can either demonstrate that you’ve been listening to voters, and lay out your objectives accordingly, or you can stand down and watch inertia set in. The latter course won’t sit well with voters in 2028, because they have short memories. They usually shape their views through their personal situations, their personal economies. Affordable living spaces. Affordable child care, because living in America usually means two incomes. Jobs that offer advancement and a way to live comfortably to retirement. Perhaps less reliance on oil and other fossil fuels, more on cleaner, cheaper energy that won’t damage the environment. Healthcare that is affordable and allows us to seek medical treatments when we need them. Pathways to citizenship for those looking for a better life for their families or have been here for decades, not forced deportations to countries unrelated to their places of origin.
So, Democrats, you’re in control now. Show us what you’re made of, and what you believe in. That America is the world’s friend, not its bully. That we take care of ourselves, our neighbors, and our allies. We won’t abide injustice, but we’ll take reasonable action to stop it. We won’t allow the wealthy and powerful to take what they want, trampling the majority in the process. Most of all, we’ll bring together a coalition that represents, and listens to, all segments of America. Yep, that’s what is next. Now is your chance, Democrats. Don’t fumble the ball.
